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Welsh government lays out long-awaited building safety reforms
Welsh ministers have set out long-awaited building safety reforms in a new white paper, which they claim would give Wales the most comprehensive regime in the UK.
The Welsh government said that its Building Safety White Paper proposes “clear lines of accountability for building owners and managers as well as a stronger regulatory system”.
It follows the UK government’s publication in July of a draft Building Safety Bill, part of which will apply to Wales.
Like the draft bill, the Welsh government’s white paper, which covers all forms of multi-occupied residential buildings, proposes identifying properly qualified dutyholders who will be legally responsible for the safety of buildings throughout their lifecycles.
Welsh housing minister Julie James said the suggested policies “will create a new and much improved regime which puts the safety of residents first” if passed into law.
The measures set out in the 122-page document published on Tuesday are largely based on recommendations from Dame Judith Hackitt’s review of building regulations and fire safety, carried out in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017, as well as the Welsh government’s own Building Safety Expert Group.
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As in England, the Welsh government is proposing the appointment of building safety managers for high-rise blocks and tough new sanctions including potential prison sentences for dutyholders who break the rules.
It has put forward the option of a new national building safety regulator, appointing an existing regulatory body, or using multiple regulators to marshal the new regime.
In England, a new Building Safety Regulator situated within the Health and Safety Executive will hold dutyholders to account.
The Welsh government’s white paper does not specify how building owners will be expected to fund additional costs associated with the new regime.
Campaigners affected by the cladding crisis in England were outraged after the Westminster government’s draft Building Safety Bill proposed introducing a new charge to pay for remediation works.
More than 20 Conservative MPs have now signed an amendment to a related piece of legislation seeking to mandate that the cost of historic works are not passed on to residents.
In October, the Welsh government said it was “actively exploring options” to protect leaseholders from building safety remediation costs, but did not commit to ensuring they would not have to pay.
The scale of building safety issues is much smaller in Wales, where there are an estimated 148 high-rise residential buildings, compared with around 12,000 in England.
Ms James said: “Most importantly, these proposals are designed to empower residents by giving them far more say in the matters that affect their homes and providing clear channels for them to speak up and alert those responsible when things go wrong.
“Those who own and manage our buildings must live up to their obligations to put things right.”
The white paper is open to consultation, with a 12 April deadline. Any legislation is not expected to be passed until the next Senedd term, which begins after the elections in May.
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